Gérard Depardieu (1948) is equally proficient at playing psychologically demanding and comic roles; social outcasts as well as romantic lovers. His childhood was doubtlessly one of the inspirations for his multifaceted performances. Already as a child he had problems with the law, and at the age of twelve he ran away from home and hitchhiked across Europe. He was drawn to performing by a friend who studied acting in Paris, starting his career at the popular theatre Cafe de la Gare, which featured actors Patrick Dewaere and Miou-Miou. Initially he took roles of troubled young men, but he quickly demonstrated his expressive nature. After several minor film roles, in 1974 Bertrand Blier cast him in the daring comedy Les valseuses (Going Places). With his convincing portrayal of a bizarre slacker, Depardieu drew considerable attention, essentially kick-starting his cinematic career.
Mr. Depardieu has portrayed numerous fascinating characters and worked with many prominent directors, and he has won two César awards for Best Actor. His first was for his performance as the incorrigible womanizer Bernard in the 1980 film Le dernier métro (The Last Metro, d. Francois Truffaut), where he appeared alongside Catherine Deneuve. The second he earned for his starring role in Cyrano de Bergerac (1990, d. Jean-Paul Rappeneau), one of the triumphs of his career. The film was widely acclaimed among viewers and critics alike, and Mr. Depardieu was also nominated for an Oscar, bestowed the Best Actor award at Cannes and granted many other international prizes for his performance. His performance in the romantic comedy Green Card (d. Peter Weir, 1991), where he starred alongside Andie McDowell, brought the actor a Golden Globe. In 1996 he was granted the highest French title of Chevalier of the National Order of Merit.
He has also acted in such films as Bernardo Bertolucci’s Novecento (1900, 1976), Marguerite Duras’s Baxter, Vera Baxter (1977), Andrzej Wajda’s Danton (1983), Alain Corneau’s Tous les matins du monde (All the Mornings of the World, 1991) and Ridley Scott’s 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992). Among younger audiences he is best known for his incarnation of the overgrown Obelix from the comic series Asterix & Obelix. In total he has appeared in over two hundred films. He also directs on occasion, debuting in 1984 with the comedy Le Tartuffe. His most recent work as a director was the episodic film Paris, je t’aime (2006), in which he also acted.
Gérard Depardieu is also a respected vintner, the co-owner of a reputable French winery in Condrieu as well as having vineyards in Spain, Algeria, Argentina, Morocco and the United States.
The Art Film Fest International Film Festival Trenčianske Teplice/Trenčín is made possible through the financial support of the Audiovisual Fund and the European Union Programme MEDIA.
Organizers: ART FILM, n. o., Forza, a. s. Co-organizers: the Town of Trenčianske Teplice, the City of Trenčín, the Trenčianske Teplice Health Spa General Sponsors: Dôvera Medical Insurance, AquaCity Poprad Main Sponsors: Tatra banka, Slovnaft, Veolia Voda – Central Slovakian Waterworks, OHL ŽS, Alison Slovakia; Official Transport Provider: Lancia Logistics Sponsor: DHL; Free student cinepasses provided by: Prvá stavebná sporitelna (First Housing-Construction Savings Bank) Sponsor of the Slovak Season section: Zlatý Bažant; Sponsors: AVI Studio, Baske Guest House, Park Hotel na Baračke Official Suppliers: HUBERT J.E., Kláštorná, GS design, Philips Media Sponsors: Slovak Television, Markíza Television, FilmBox, CSTV, Central Europe Television, Rádio Europa 2, Rádio Hit FM, Pravda, .týždeň, Markíza, Pardon, Cinemax, Kam do mesta, zoznam.sk, Boomerang Media, SITA, euroAWK, superobed.sk
